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Made with ripe avocados, aromatic garlic and fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro and lime juice, guacamole adds texture and flavor to your meals and snacks. Guacamole serves as a source of several essential nutrients that benefit your health. However, it also packs a hefty caloric punch -- a cup of guacamole can contain almost 400 calories. Eat the food in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Unsaturated Fat

Guacamole provides a healthy dose of unsaturated fat, the type of fat beneficial to your health. Unsaturated fat lowers harmful blood cholesterol, and a diet rich in monounsaturated fat -- the kind found in avocados -- also lowers blood pressure, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Making your guacamole with one avocado provides you with 19.7 grams of healthy monounsaturated fat.

Vitamin C

Eating guacamole also boosts your intake of vitamin C, as avocado, tomato and lime juice all provide the vitamin. Guacamole made with one avocado, one small tomato and the juice from one lime contains 45.8 milligrams of vitamin C -- around half the recommended daily intake for men or slightly less than two-thirds of the daily recommended intake for women, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Getting enough vitamin C keeps your skin healthy, and strengthens your blood vessels, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissues.

Vitamin E

Eat guacamole as a source of vitamin E. This nutrient helps keep you healthy, slowing oxidative damage to your cells -- damage associated with aging and disease. Vitamin E also helps regulate cell communication and controls the level of inflammation in your body. Each avocado used to make guacamole contains 4.16 milligrams of vitamin E, or 27 percent of your daily recommended intake, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Eating guacamole helps prevent the nerve damage and muscle weakness associated with vitamin E deficiency.

Preparation and Serving Tips

Get creative to use guacamole for more than the traditional chips-and-dip snack. Guacamole pairs well with whole-grain bread and vegetables for healthy sandwiches, or makes for a nutritious topping for sliced cucumbers, red peppers or other vegetables.

For a lower-calorie version of guacamole, try substituting mashed edamame for some of the avocado in your recipe -- each cup of edamame contains 189 calories, compared to avocado's 368. Adding edamame to your guacamole also adds protein, potassium and folate to your meal.

About the Author

Sylvie Tremblay holds a Master of Science in molecular and cellular biology and has years of experience as a cancer researcher and neuroscientist. Based in Ontario, Canada, Tremblay is an experienced journalist and blogger specializing in nutrition, fitness, lifestyle, health and biotechnology, as well as real estate, agriculture and clean tech.